Every institution like Urban holds space for people with differing physical abilities. A physical disability limits a person’s physical mobility and can also impair sleep and respiratory functions. People with chronic illnesses, or health conditions that last one year or longer and require ongoing medical attention, often fall under the umbrella term of invisible disabilities.
From interviews with students and faculty, some agree that disabilities and chronic illnesses at Urban can be difficult to navigate.
According to Director of Learning Strategies Rachel Herbert, approximately 25% of students use an individualized Learning Plan that caters to their diagnosed learning differences or conditions, aiming to encourage accessibility and foster communication between families and faculty.
Despite the Learning Strategies Department’s structured system for students with learning disabilities, some students and faculty who have other disabilities or chronic illnesses believe Urban can do more acknowledgment and include those with all disabilities.
To combat this lack of representation, Sam Ball ‘22, Stella Sears-Bicknell ‘22 and Abigail Heuga ‘23 reestablished the Disability and Chronic Illness affinity space (DCI) two years ago as a way to have group discussions and meetings about people’s experiences with disabilities and chronic illnesses.
“It’s a space where disabled students [and faculty members] or students with loved ones who are disabled can discuss important topics,” said DCI Co-Leader Selah Matheny ‘24. “One big topic we cover is invisible disabilities versus visible disabilities … [and] we connect with other faculty and find solutions in places that are lacking [in accommodations].”
Some community members with disabilities and chronic illnesses feel overlooked in marginalized spaces. “We don’t always talk about folks with invisible disabilities or chronic illnesses in the same way that we talk about other marginalized identities here,” said Maya Herbsman ‘13, faculty advisor for DCI. “We have certain structures for when people have temporary disabilities, such as giving a student access to the elevator when they are on crutches. But people who live with other forms of disabilities are talked about less [at Urban].”
In addition to supporting student-led spaces like DCI, Herbsman is open with the community about her experiences with Crohn’s disease — a chronic illness that causes inflammation in the digestive tract.
“Most teachers can understand students who need extra time on tests or need a fidget toy to stay focused in class,” said Herbsman. “[But] if I was a student here, my accommodations would mean going to the bathroom at any time, including tests, which might make some teachers uncomfortable.”
Urban XLabs Director Bethany Hellerich also named how the symptoms of her disability affect her larger feelings around accessibility at Urban. “As various symptoms of mine have gotten worse or changed, [my] body can’t do some of the things that are a part of Urban’s identity: outdoor education trips like Pie Ranch, class days and California Studies. It has made me much more aware of how we aren’t accessible as an institution to people with physical disabilities.”
The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) is a civil rights law that protects people with disabilities in many areas of public life, including minimum size requirements for classroom tables and entrance ways for schools across the United States.
“Since the ADA was passed, Urban has had more legal responsibilities that we’ve adjusted to in terms of accommodations in the classroom,” said Charlotte Worsley, assistant head for student life. “Historically, we’ve been responsive in meeting students’ needs. … But our accommodations are reflective of San Francisco, and there are always ways that we can change to be better.”
In addition to accommodations for class days and outdoor education trips, the new Performing Arts Center will provide an ADA-approved ramp between the two buildings instead of the old stairway. “I think we all knew [the stairway] wasn’t good, and we didn’t necessarily make the change ourselves,” said Worsley. “We’re a lifelong learning community.”
Matheny also spoke about how some students find it difficult to speak about their experiences with disabilities or chronic illnesses. “Half the people that come to DCI are actually adults. I think part of it is the fact that people are more willing to talk about [a disability] if they have had it for a longer time.”
Some faculty members pointed to listening as a crucial step in facilitating dialogue around disabilities and improving accessibility.
“As a teacher, I really try and just listen first. A lot of adults, including myself, are quick to jump to solutions and ask questions like ‘How can I help?’ or ‘What can I fix?’ But I find that’s not always what students want or need,” said Herbsman. “Sometimes, people just want community and to be able to talk with someone who has similar struggles as they do.”
“As a person who deeply loves Urban and the people in it, it feels like there are just so many areas for growth that we feel like we don’t have time for … so meetings around disabilities almost always fall to the back side,” said Hellerich. “In some ways, Urban reflects how the world operates. And it’s a reflection of how poorly we support disabilities in American culture.”
